Surgical knife



(No Model.)

0. A.'HOELLER. SURGICAL KNIFE.

'No. 476.272 Patented June 7, 1892.

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OTTO A. I-IOELLER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SURGICAL KNIFE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 476,272, dated June 7, 1892.

Application filed February 8,1892. Serial No. 420,637. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be 'it known that I, OTTO A. HOELLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Surgical Knives, of which the following is a specification.

Myin vention is an improved surgical knife. Its object is to provide a handle and detachable blades in such form that the parts may be firmly linked with the blade in either the open or closed position and readily detached for cleansing, all parts when separated being readily reached, so that no corners or nooks are left for the retention of poisonous matter.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similar referenceletters Wherever they occur throughout the I various views, Figure l is a side elevation of my improved instrument with the blade opened for use. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same with the blade closed. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the handle. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the blade shown above the handle and in the position it is held relatively to the handle when it is to be inserted. Fig. 5 is an edge elevation of the handle arranged to receive two blades, which are shown by dotted lines in the closed position.

In the single-blade handles shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the handle consists of two sides, which are alike, excepting that the side A is severed by an L-shaped slot at a to form the spring locking-latch a. The inside face of this severed portion is lightened back of its free end, as shown in Fig. 5, to insure an easier spring action, and the inner corner of the latch is provided with an inwardly-projecting locking-detent a (Shown in dotted line, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and in full line, Fig. 5.)

In the single handle the sides are rigidly secured together by the fiattend pivot-pin A at the blade end and a curved stay-block at the opposite end. In the double handle, as shown in Fig. 5, the sidesA are precisely the same in form, and are stayed apart at both ends by the blade-pivots A.

The shank of the blade 0 is perforated at c to fit the concentric ends of the pivot-pin A, and slotted at c from the edge into the perforations, the slot being just wide enoughto allow the flattened or parallel sides of the pivot-pin to pass through it and enter the enlarged circular opening. Upon each side of the slotted portion of the shank are formed cams c 0 over which the detent a of the spring-latch rides when the blade is opened or closed. The side of the blade-shank adjacent to the slotted side of the handle has a depression 0 into which the detent a snaps when the blade is closed to retain it in the closed position. When the blade is opened, as shown in Fig. 1, the detent snaps back of the cam c and the T-headed end of the tail c bears against the edges of the handles. The blade is thus firmly locked in the open position. The tail-piece 0 projects beyond the end of the handle when the blade is closed for convenience in opening the blade.

To open or close the blade, the spring-latch is pressed outwardly by the thumb-nail and the blade rotated upon its pivot until the detent is brought over one or the other of the cams c or 0 when it may be readily turned to either position. When it reaches the opened or closed position, the spring-latch automatically looks it firmly in place.

To remove or replace the blade, it is held at a right angle to the handle and the shank of the blade passed between the handle sides until stopped by the pin A, which has entered the opening through the slot 0, when the blade may be turned to either position.

I prefer to slot the handle, as shown, to form I the spring locking-latch, as thus there are no joints formed, and the cleansing of the instrument after an operation may be quickly and thoroughly done; but it would be an inferior modification of my invention to form the spring-latch of a separate piece, secure one end of it upon the outside of the handle and pass the locking-detent through a perforation in the handle side to engage the depression in the blade or pass back of the inner wall of cam 0 There are other mere mechanical changes that may be made by a skilled mechanic after examining my instrument. I have, however, shown what I believe to be the best form of embodying my invention, and will consider all mere mechanical changes as within its spirit and scope.

What I claim is- 1. In a surgical knife, the combination of the handle composed of two sides secured to- ICO gether and braced apart, as shown, one of said sides having spring locking-latch provided with a locking-detent, a flattened pivot-pin A, the blade O, having its shank perforated and slotted from the edge into the perforation to receive the flattened pivot-pin of the handle and having cams c c and catches back of said earns to receive the locking-detent of said spring-latch, and the T-shaped tail 0 substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of the handle sides, one of which is slotted at a and has the springlatch and locking-detent formed integral therewith, and flattened pivot-pin A, secured between the sides, with the blade Cperforated at c and slotted from the edge into said perforation and having the cams c c and notches back of said cams to receive the locking-detent of the spring-latch and also provided with a tail 0, the cross ends of which are arranged to bear upon the handle edges to brace the blade in its open position, said tail extending beyond the end of the handle, when the blade is closed, to furnish a convenient handle for opening the blade, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

OTTO A. I-IOELLER.

WVitnesses:

H. S. HOELLER, GEO. .T. MURRAY. 

